Patients & guests

When you leave

Ask questions before you go

It is important that you understand your illness or injury, the plan for your follow-up care and anything else that affects your health. If you have any questions, please talk to your care team.

Discharge process

Your doctor will discuss discharge plans with you in advance so you may arrange for any necessary help and/or transportation. Your plans may include information such as:

Follow-up appointments and care: Your doctor will discuss with you what kind of care you need after you leave the hospital. You may be referred to your primary care doctor or clinic.

When to return to normal activities: Please ask your doctor about when you can expect to return to normal activities.

Medications to take and side effects to monitor: Your discharge instructions will include all medications prescribed by your doctor. The pharmacy at Regions can fill any take-home prescriptions. The pharmacy will fill your order, send it to your room, bill your insurance and send any co-pay bills to your home address. If you would like to use this service, please tell your nurse. You can also take your prescriptions to an outside pharmacy.

Danger signs to watch for.

Diet recommendations: Nutrition may play an important part in your recovery process. Please listen to your care team’s recommendations.

Home care: As part of your discharge, you and your care team will decide if you need additional home care, such as nursing, therapy, social work and homemaker services. The goal of home care is to provide you with the tools you need to live a healthy and independent life. Most services are covered by Medicare, Medicaid and major health plans. The hospital social worker or case manager will work with you and your health insurance provider for details on your coverage.

Discharge instructions: Your nurse will provide a written copy of your discharge instructions and carefully go over them with you to make sure you understand everything.

Online Patient Service: Whether it's 12 p.m. or 12 a.m., you can review a summary of your hospital and clinic visits and even schedule some appointments online through the HealthPartners Online Patient Services system. This secure system lets you access most of the same medical record information that's available to your HealthPartners provider.

Personal belongings

Before leaving, check closets and drawers for your personal belongings. If you have valuables in the hospital safe, pick them up at the cashier window on the 2nd floor, Central section, Monday through Friday any time between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. or on Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. If you need items from the safe after hours, please ask your nurse.

Check out

Please check out at the nurses’ desk and let us know you are leaving. The transport team will take you to meet your ride.